Golden Linings
by AndThenWeWere
Summary: It's time for the Yule Ball, and Hermione's only missing one thing... Ron Weasley. Beta read!


A/N- many thanks to my FANTABULOUS beta reader, Little Miss Magic Trio. You rock, girlfriend!

Hermione Granger slipped her Yule Ball gown on and stared at herself in the mirror. She looked the epitome of perfection, with her immaculate wavy brown hair and newly straightened teeth. The dress fit her superbly, showing off her womanly curves but also her slender body. But all she saw was the girl that wasn't good enough for Ron.

Ron Weasley…The freckled, good-hearted, red haired, long time best friend of Hermione's, and yet, she knew that no matter how she looked, or how she acted, she would never be the right person for him. She was too bookish, too know-it-all, and too straitlaced. She couldn't help who she was, and she wasn't about to change for a boy, but it would have been nice if she had been born a different way. A way that Ron would have loved.

Trying not to cry, or think about her date, Viktor Krum, she made her way down the stairs and into the Great Hall. Despite the depression that had seemed to overwhelm her for the past few months, her heart lifted when she saw the gorgeous ice blue decorations that adorned the ground floor of Hogwarts. She could smell the delicious aroma of pumpkin juice and chocolate even from where she was standing, and the heavy thrum of music drummed its way into her ears.

And then she saw him-Ron-clad in silly old-fashioned dress robes, looking miserable. She stood still for a moment, watching as Padma Patil made her way over to him. Hermione began to seethe with jealousy, whether it was because she didn't have Ron or Padma looked so beautiful she did not know. God, how she wanted Padma's long black hair and exotic dark eyes. She wished she could wear a sari from India and pull it off with such a tall, lean body. But then she remembered- she remembered she was Hermione, just Hermione, and nothing more. Ron's best friend.

"Hello, my sweet," a soft voice whispered in her ear. She gasped slightly, whipping around to face a grinning Krum. She forced a small smile on her face and slipped her hand into his, cringing slightly as she felt Ron's eyes on her.

"Hi, Viktor," she replied softly, using her free hand to tuck a loose curl behind her ear. Krum began the walk down the stairs, and Hermione followed, feeling number than she had in a long time.

She waved at a gaping Harry and Ron as she passed by, wishing heartily that she could be standing there with them. Oh, how she loved him. Oh, how she yearned for his antics and foolishness. But who would ever think that Ron Weasley would ever love a girl like Hermione Granger?

"_Viktor Krum? _That's Hermione's date?" She heard Ron seethe from somewhere behind her, and her heart began to hurt.

And so she danced. She danced until she couldn't feel her feet, and her hair had come loose from the French twist it had once been in, and her cheeks were bright pink. Her throat ached from screaming along to the music, and she felt happy. Happy because she had lost herself in the ball, and had barely given a thought to Krum, who stood beside her, or to Ron, who sat across the Hall, looking downhearted.

So what inspired her to go over and talk to him even she didn't know. But something deep within her told her to, and so she did.

"Would you care to get some punch? It's very good, you know," she cried, walking over to them. Neither of the two friends replied. She tried again.

"Why are neither of you dancing? Don't you like the music?" She exclaimed, and this time, Harry responded.

"No one wants to dance with us, 'Mione,"

"Then dance with Viktor and I! It'll be so much fun!" Her heart threatened to explode. Oh, here was her chance! But alas, neither stood up, and so she sighed and walked away.

Yet again, she danced, only this time it was the Yule Ball Waltz, and she felt very uncomfortable, both because of Viktor's hands on her waist and the fact that Ron was dancing with Padma just feet away from her. Sobs threatened to break through from her throat, but somehow, she locked them up.

As usual, Hermione Granger kept her feelings inside of her, and that night, when all was quiet, and everyone was asleep, she let the tears that she had kept within stain her pillow.

What she didn't know was that in the dormitory next to hers, a certain red-haired, freckle faced boy had already cried himself to sleep.


End file.
